6th Of December In Switzerland
Today is Samichlaus Day in Switzerland. But what does this mean?
The Swiss Santa Clause is not as jolly as the American Santa. His job is quite a bit different from Santa Clauses.
Every year on December 6, children in Switzerland should be behaving themselves because it is the traditional Santa Day. "Samichlaus" (is Santa's name in Swiss German) and his pal "Schmutzli" walk through the woods to the villages from their cottage. They visit the children at home (or at school). They don't have a sleigh with flying reindeer. Their companion is a donkey.
All the children are given poems to learn off by heart to show the Swiss Santa how good they have been and promise him to be a good boy/girl next year as well. The children receive walnuts, peanuts, chocolates, tangerines, and gingerbreads if they have been good. Well, today it doesn't matter anymore if you have been good or bad. All children receive gifts. But this was not always the case.
Schmutzli used to kidnap the bad children in his sack back to his cottage to teach them a lesson. The idea was to scare them and teach them.
The Swiss do celebrate the birth of Christ, but the presents the "Christkind" (gift-bringer) are opened on Christmas Eve and not on Christmas day.
I wish you all a beautiful day!
Catherine
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18
The holidays and a Christmas is in the air. You can even feel it here. Thanks, Catherine for sharing. Switzerland is a place my wife has always wanted to visit.
Wish you a wonderful Christmas!
Stanley
Thanks for sharing Catherine. American Christmas' are all about me, me, me, and the almighty dollar. Most people here could not even tell you whose birthday is on Christmas. Sad.
Hi Mark!
Right about what has become of Christmas. It is more about the Coca-Cola Santa Clause that brings gifts then the birth of Jesus.
Have a great day!
Catherine
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Thank you Catherine for sharing that lovely lore. I have heard of the same story as to how Santa Clause came to be but without the bad children being kidnapped. Do parents still tell their children that now? How terrifying that would be. But on the other hand, if it makes them mind.....
Have a blessed rest of the week
Charlotte
Hi Charlotte!
Parents do still "warn" their children that if they don't behave then Schmutzli is going to take them away from home, but the children don't seem to care. Because they have never seen it happen (and the bad children in the class never got taken away by Schmutzli previously) they know it is not going to happen.
Have a good weekend!
Catherine